Floor polishing device



Sept 9, 1952 E. ANDERSON 2,609,555

FLOOR POLISHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1948 INVENTOR. EMIL ANDERSON MQ A rotating brush decreasing any such Patented Sept. 9, 1952 gg-fpfsr'rs orrice rincon rousnINonevica t Emil Anderson, Vlriarclifi' Manorlll. Y.,`assignor to Electrolux Corporation, 01d (ireenwicli,

AConni, acorporation of Delaware appntauenjsestember is, 19is`,sria1na 49,877 Y 'I yThis -invention relates -toan apparatusl for stant torque means illustratively shown comprises a driving element having a pin and a driven element having a receiving slot for the pin which slot is out at such an incline as to result in relative axial movement of the driven elementin response to relative rotary movement between the driving and driven elements, spring biasing means being provided tooppose such relative r- 'tary movement. yWith this device, the operation of the brush is effected in a total absence of any stalling action due to excessive irictional contact between the brush and polishing surface. This is accomplished by the automatic lifting of the excessive frictional load.

' vlt is a maiorl object of this invention to provide a polishing device having a brush adapted to operate at a constant torque regardless of the friction.

It is a further robject to provide resilient displacing means for the operating brush so that -constant polishing speed is maintained.

Another object is to provide a rotary brush device having no tendency to creep or travel in seina direction contrary or different from that intended by the operator oi the polishing device.

A further object is to provide a brush device for the suction end of a vacuum cleaner.

Still another objectr is to provide a simple, durable, low cost and highly eftlcient machine which is light and more easily handled than the usual electrically powered polishing devices.

. A further object is to provide a polishing device having a much lower center of gravity and henceaV greater stability thanv the conventional motor driven unit. y

f These and other objects'additional thereto are effected by the particular embodiment herein described in considerable detail` andv specincally illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherec oiaims. (cris-4e) Figure lisa vertical cross-sectional .viewof the complete floor polishing apparatus, 'taken on a line corresponding to that shown at l.'l Fig 2;

.Figure 2 is atop plan view of aportionof Lythe device, taken on line`2j-2A of Figli showingthe axial drive, resilient spring retainingmeans and brushimount; and. Y

Figure 3 is a detail elevational View of the pin and slot mechanism, taken online 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the vdrawrings, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises av double chambe'ied'hous'ing lil formed by' a casting l2 defining an upper turbine chamber 20 and a lowercasting i4 forminga brush chamberll.A The upper chamber 20 is partially sealed by a removable .cover 22 secured in place by retaining`screws'23 and provides an inlet opening 24 and anoutlet opening 26 into Vwhich is removably sealedby meansoficollarfZB and retaining screws 2l, a flexible connecting member or outlet conduit adapter v28. A clamping device 29 is provided on adapter 2S to secure the polishing device to the wand or handle of a conventional vacuum'cleaner 90. This arrangement functions as a flexible air-tightcoupling joint. The lower casting 'I4 has the shape offa vdepending circular iiange forming an open-'bottomed rotary brush chamber 3i) inwhich rotary annular brush 32 is operatively positioned, being held by conventional pins 34 and spring clips 36,

,the latter gripping the lower conical, portions of the heads of pins34.

Thus, the brush 32 is readily mounted .in ,and removed from thev polishing machine, merely snapping Vit inplace bythe simple insertion of pins 3d into their proper positions whereuponthe kvbrush'is securely held in place for use fand against the bottom of ange di! whichforms afpart of the rotary axially lioating'sie'eve 42.'

Sleeve Z ismounted to move with limited rotational and axialV displacement upon the elongated hub 44 of driven gear d6. The degrees' of freedom of motion between hub 44 and sleeve '42 are determined by the coacting vdrive mechanism `therebetween comprising radial pins 5l) ,carri/ed by a gear hub lit and extending tlnoughinclin'ed slots 52', cut in sleeve 42, only one of 'which is shown in Fig.. r.8.

lugs Sli'oi spring clips 36. ,With this'construction,

y when no driving torque isapplied, the springs `54 in Fig. 3,p'ins 50. occupying the upper' endsjof slots 52, and therefore urging the rotary brush 32 Spring biasing means 54, Fig.' 2, are connected between pins 5t, and extension downwardly against the fioor or other surface being polished.

When, however, torque is applied through the rotation of gear 46, the friction between the bristles of brush 32 and the iioor causes the brush 32 and hence sleeve 42 to lag slightly behind the rotation of gear 46 and its hub 44. Then the pins SI1-in their forward motion travel to the left of center as shown in Fig. 3, overcome the tension applied by springs 54 and therefore pins 50 ride the inclined slots so as to raise brush 32 from and lessen frictional contact with the floor. This permits part of the weight of the polishing device to be supported by thev stationary bristles 80 which form an annular ring around the lowerV end of brush housing I4. This lifting action is of a continuous hunting type and in use effects a continuous and uniform torque transmission which prevents stalling of brush 32 because of' any undue or momentarily excessive frictional .contact between brush, 32v and the oor, the brush moving upwards and downwards slightly der 82 formed, on stud 80 presses against theV bottom surface of housing I while, upper edge 84,- 's` spun over the upper surface and edge of opening 8| inA housing` I0. Washer 85 fitted into al, groove 86. cut in stud 80 serves to hold gear 46.` and bearing 8'! in place on stud 8l! while any end play is taken. up by thrust bearing 88 which.. rides on cap 89 shown held in the open endl of hubY 44 by split-spring washer 83.

In operation, iiexible adapter 28 is mounted on. the end, of' a conventional vacuum cleaner wand 9Il,A cam actuating clamp 29 encircling the terminal end, of adapter 28 is snapped into sealing position and the vacuum cleaner motor started. Thev turbine wheel 'I0 then starts rot'ating' due to the flow of air over its blades, the

air entering through opening. 24 at the front o'f the polishing device, then passing over the turbine blades, through the turbine chamber' 20, opening 2S and out through the nexible rubber connector or adapter 28, to the wand and hose of the vacuum cleaner. The rotation imparted to the turbine wheel is transmitted through drive shaft 12, gear or pinion 11, gear 46 to sleeve 42, and finally to brush 3,2. The actuation of sleeve 42 and hence brush 32 by way of the pins 5l, slots 52 and tensioning springs 54 provides the above described substantially uniform torque which is maintained without any possibility of stalling either the `brush or the turbine wheel.

Any excessivel brush loads result in the lifting 0f the brush andthe maintenance of a substan-- tially constant brush speed and torque transmission by the resiliently maintained slot and pin mechanism which effects a relative` axial movement of the. sleeve 42 and shaft 44 upon relative rotation of these elements, respectively.

It is.v to be noted that an improvement herein greatly facilitating both the operation and the construction of the unit shown lies in the axial mountings of elements 12 and 80, both rotating partsbeing mounted in bearings riding in the samecasting II). Consequently it is not necessary that these two axial members and 12 be carefully lined up in order to obtain the proper distances between axle centers.

A number of accessory structures both improve the performance of the polishing device and greatly facilitate its use. Thus, a rubber ring 62 secured to the outer rim of lower casting I4 serves as a bumper or buer to prevent scratching and other damagev to furniture. Gear cover BI secured to housing I0 by screws 92 and provided with a felt sealing ring 93 protects the operator against injury while changing brushes and also keeps oil from falling on the polishing brush surface. A screen 94 over the inlet opening 24 prevents the entryof foreign substance, paper, and the like into, the air suction stream.

It is to b e understood that various changes may be made in construction and that the embodiment of the invention herein described is merely illustrative andnot limitative thereof. its scope. being determined, solely bv the following claims.

What Iclaim is:

1. In a floor polisher, thecombinationc'oni-l prising a rotatable brush mechanism having,` a brush mounted thereon in contact withtheiloor, a vertical driving shaft means, meansfor. supportingf said driving shaft meansA from the. noor., a driven sleeve means mounted on said shaft means, said rotatablebrush mechanism being affixed to said sleeve, guide means comprising a spiral. groove in one of said shaft and sleeve means and a pin in said other shaft and. sleeve. means engaging said groove. for operatively maintaining the shaft andv sleeve in saidA mounted relationship andfor causing relative axial movement of said shaftand sleeve upon relative rotation thereof,r whereby excessive brush loads result in the lifting ofthe brush fromv contact with the load to maintain substantially constant the torque transmittedbetween said shaft and sleevev 2. In a oor. polisher, the combination comprising.' a rotatable brush mechanism havinga brush mounted thereon-in contact with the floor, a vertical driving shaft, means for supporting' said driving shaft from the floor, a drivensleeve mounted on said shaft, said rotatable brush mechanism being affixed to said sleeve, guide means comprising a spiral groove in said sleevefand a pin in said shaft engaging said groove for operatively maintaining theI shaft and sleeve inV said mounted relationshipV and for causing relative axial movement of said shaft and sleeve upon'relative. rotation thereof, a resilient means operatively connecting said shaft and sleeve respectively and for transmitting torque therebetween to urge said sleeve through a path determined by said guide means, whereby excessive brush loadsv result in the lifting of the brush from contact with the oor to maintain substantially Vconstant the torque transmitted between said shaft and sleeve.

3. In a iioor'polisher, the combination comprising a rotatable brush mechanism, a driving shaft, means for supporting said driving shaft from the floor, a driven sleeve mounted on saidY shaft, said rotatable brush mechanism being aixed to said sleeve having a brush in contact with the floor, guidemeans comprising a spiral groove insaid sleeve and a pin in "said shaft engagingsaidi groove Vfor operatively Connecting theshaft"and-sleeve and'for' causing relative axial movement v'of said shaft and sleeve upon relativerotation thereof,

a resilient means operativelyA connectingl said shaft and sleeve respectively and for transmitting a torque therebetween to urge said sleeve through a path determined by said guide means, whereby excessive brush loads result in the lifting of the brush from contact with the floor to maintain substantially constant the torque transmitted between said shaft and sleeve.

4. In a floor polisher, the combination comprising a rotatable brush mechanism, a driving shaft, means for supporting said driving shaft from the floor, a driven sleeve mounted on said shaft, said rotatable brush mechanism being aixed to said sleeve, guide means comprising a spiral groove in Y said sleeve and a pin in said shaft engaging said groove for operatively connecting the shaft and sleeve and for causing relative axial movement of said shaft and sleeve upon relative rotation thereof, a resilient means operatively connecting said shaft and sleeve respectively and for transmitting a torque therebetween to urge said sleeve through a path determined by said guide means, whereby friction between said brush and floor results in the lifting of the brush from contact with the floor to maintain substantially constant the torque transmitted between said shaft and sleeve.

5. In a floor polisher, the combination comprising a rotatable brush mechanism, means for driving said polisher in a predetermined direction, a driving shaft, means for supporting said driving shaft from the floor, a driven sleeve mounted on said shaft, said rotatable brush mechanism being afxed to said sleeve and having a brush in contact with the floor, a spiral groove means cut in said sleeve, a pin axed in said shaft and operatively engaging the groove means for causing relative axial movement of said shaft and sleeve upon relative rotation thereof the groove being disposed so as to lift the brush from the floor, a reing a base casting, atrotatable brush mechanism,

a driving pinion, a driven gear engaging said pinion and having a driving shaft, both said pinion and said shaft being journalled in said casting, a driven sleeve mounted on said shaft, means for supporting said driving shaft from the floor, said rotatable brush mechanism being afxed to said sleeve and having a brush in contact with the floor, guide means comprising a spiral groove in said sleeve and a pin in said shaft engaging said groove for operatively maintaining the shaft and sleeve in said mounted relationship and for causing relative axial movement of said shaft and sleeve upon relative rotation thereof, a resilient means operatively connecting said shaft and sleeve respectively and for transmitting a torque therebetween to urge said sleeve through a path determined by said guide means, whereby excessive brush loads result in the lifting of the brush from the iioor tov maintain vsubstantially constant the torque transmitted between said shaft and sleeve.

Y EMIL ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 594,509 Ackerman Nov, 30, 1897 1,067,889 Trudeau July 22, 1913 1,550,102 Schlueter Aug. 18, 1925 1,581,687 Pape Apr. 20, 1926 1,728,520 Wadhams Sept. 17 1929 1,763,365 Nobbs June 10, 1930 2,000,931 De Nagy May 14, 1937 2,126,761 Engberg Aug. 1,6, 1938 2,513,587 Reeves July 4, 1950 2,526,419 Reeves Oct. 17, 1950v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 71,727 Sweden Apr. 28, 1931 640,875y

Germany Jan. 14, 1937 

